Keeping track of Jujhar Khaira

The Canada-Russia Super Series comes to the WHL tonight and Thursday, pitting an all-star team of WHLers eligible to play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships against a traveling Russian team. Everett center Jujhar Khaira is a part of Team WHL and expected to play in both games.

These games supposedly play a role in Hockey Canada evaluating players for World Juniors. I’m not sure I completely believe that, because Hockey Canada has plenty of opportunities to evaluate players in settings superior to these one-off all-star games. Regardless, I can’t say whether Khaira has a realistic chance at making Team Canada. He hasn’t been involved in any of Canada’s preparation camps, and he didn’t play for Canada at the U-17 or U-18 levels. That said, he’s a big body capable of playing a two-way role, and that’s something Canada often seeks for a third- or fourth-line role. So who knows, maybe Khaira can catch an eye with some good defensive work and physical play in these games.